The Weekender: August 21 – 23

CHECK out the Melbourne Writers Festival, support student art at Mudfest, consider making a change in your life or learn more about Arabian filmmakers. Trinh Le brings you this weekend’s biggest festivals to visit.

Australian political journalist and commentator Annabel Crabb is one of Melbourne Writers Festival’s special guests. | Image supplied.

You don’t need to be a writer to fully enjoy the annual Melbourne Writers Festival. Bringing together more than 500 writers from Australia and around the world, this year’s theme for the festival is “For Everyone Who Reads”.

Listen to amazing 17 Minute Stories told by an Afghan refugee, a physics professor who started the world’s longest-running experiment, or a freelance writer who furnished questions for the Dalai Lama.

Meet your favourite authors in person, or discover 30 emerging writers under 30. Watch movie screenings followed by book talks, or contemplate the French Illustration exhibition at Sofitel Melbourne.

Bookings and tickets apply to some events, but there are a lot of FREE activities for book lovers.

Mudfest is an arts festival like no other. Organised by University of Melbourne Student Union every two years, the event is entirely run by students for students. What’s more is the festival just so happens to be the largest student-run arts festival in the country.

Mudfest 2015 will showcase a rich portfolio of more than 70 original artworks, spanning across music, dance, theatre, installation, and even Chinese martial arts.

Watch out for A Night Under Bunjil, Behind the Ping Pong, Shakespeare Open Mic Night, Wushu Workshop and so much more.